I had no clue that Election Cake used to be a thing until I saw an article recently about this lost tradition! Recipes for Election Cake are found back to the late 18th century, but apparently the tradition has fallen off in recent years.
This yeasted spiced bundt fruitcake was traditionally prepared prior to Election Day and served to hungry voters.
For years, I was the machine inspector for every general and primary election in my South Philly polling location, so any attention I can bring to voting is super important to me! I am also down for any and all food holidays so let’s bring back Election Cake!
I don’t have a ton of experience using yeast, so I looked up a recipe from NY Times Food. Because of the yeast, there are two proofing times in this recipe, so set aside 4 to 6 hours to make this cake.
Ingredients (serves 10):
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 (¼-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 lemon, divided
- 2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup brandy, divided
- ⅔ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
You’ll need a 10-inch bundt pan (paid link) to make this Election Cake. Generously spray the pan with baking spray (paid link).
Measure out your flour and brown sugar, then reserve 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in separate bowls.
Add the milk to a pot over medium heat. Heat to 110 degrees F (an instant read thermometer – paid link – helps here).
Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle with the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Let sit until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Zest the lemon over the mixture, then add in the eggs, nutmeg, salt and remaining flour and brown sugar. Stir until a spatula until it resembles a shaggy dough.
Fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead on slow until a smooth dough forms, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the softened butter.
Knead on low until the butter is incorporated and the dough is smooth, sticky and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a relatively warm location (~75 degrees F) to let rise for 1 hour.
While waiting for the dough to rise, add the raisins and dried cranberries to a small bowl. Add in the brandy and mix to combine. Cover for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, uncover the dried fruit mixture and stir in the reserved flour and brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
Stir the spiced fruit mixture into the dough using a spatula.
Scrape the dough into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a relatively warm location (~75 degrees F) and let rise until the dough springs back when you push on it, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the bundt pan to a cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes.
While waiting for the cake to cool, juice the zested lemon into a small bowl. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon brandy, whisking to combine.
Once the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, invert the cake onto a rack.
Brush (paid link) a thin layer of the glaze over the warm cake.
Let the cake completely cool, then pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake.
This is a denser cake, similar to a British fruitcake. There is plenty of fruit throughout the cake that adds bites of sweetness.
The glaze adds a nice citrus finish with a hint of brandy flavor.
I can see why this Election Cake was the choice for voting day!
Election Cake
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ¼-ounce envelopes active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 lemon divided
- 2 eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup brandy divided
- ⅔ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- You’ll need a 10-inch bundt pan to make this Election Cake. Generously spray the pan with baking spray.
- Measure out your flour and brown sugar, then reserve 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in separate bowls.
- Add the milk to a pot over medium heat. Heat to 110 degrees F (an instant read thermometer helps here).
- Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle with the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Let sit until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Zest the lemon over the mixture, then add in the eggs, nutmeg, salt and remaining flour and brown sugar. Stir until a spatula until it resembles a shaggy dough.
- Fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead on slow until a smooth dough forms, about 3 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the softened butter. Knead on low until the butter is incorporated and the dough is smooth, sticky and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a relatively warm location (~75 degrees F) to let rise for 1 hour.
- While waiting for the dough to rise, add the raisins and dried cranberries to a small bowl. Add in the brandy and mix to combine. Cover for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, uncover the dried fruit mixture and stir in the reserved flour and brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
- Stir the spiced fruit mixture into the dough using a spatula.
- Scrape the dough into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a relatively warm location (~75 degrees F) and let rise until the dough springs back when you push on it, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the bundt pan to a cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes.
- While waiting for the cake to cool, juice the zested lemon into a small bowl. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon brandy, whisking to combine.
- Once the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, invert the cake onto a rack. Brush a thin layer of the glaze over the warm cake.
- Let the cake completely cool, then pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake.
